Gov. Gregoire is a ‘fizzle’ – progressive group

The state’s leading progressive grassroots group, many of whose members worked to elect Gov. Christine Gregoire, has given the Democratic governor its “Heartbreaker Award” for 2011.

“She was an obstacle to progress all through the legislative session: We looked to her for leadership and she didn’t provide it,” said Collin Jergens of Fuse Washington, which on Thursday issued its annual “Sizzle” and “Fizzle” awards.

Fuse was, however, turned on by some members of the Legislature.

Its “Strongman Award” went to State Rep. Dave Frockt. It was Frockt “who single-handedly spearheaded the nation’s first statewide ban on toxic coal tar sealants, a cancer-causing storm-water pollutant,” the group wrote.

And, while not many new Democrats were elected to the Legislature in 2010, Fuse gave them an “All-Star Team Award” that “organized themselves into an effective team slugging for progressive values.”

Other Democrats didn’t fare so well.

A “Pirates of the Caribbean III” award went to the Senate Roadkill Caucus, a group of centerist Democrats who worked with Republican colleagues to fashion the state budget.

“These unruly pirates held the state budget hostage to stage a dastardly raid on benefits for injured workers while pillaging our investments in schools, parks and other public structures,” said the award.

One Roadkill Caucus member, State Sen. Jim Kastama — a candidate for Secretary of State — was given the “Sore Loser Award.” Kastama opposed seating of newly elected fellow State Sen. Nick Harper, who had unseated a more conservative Democrat, Jean Berkey, in the August primary.

Harper was the beneficiary of a dirty trick in which a Democratic consulting firm secretly boosted a conservative Republican in hopes — successfully realized — that Berkey would be kept off the November ballot.

Gregoire gets brickbats, in Fuse’s words, for “conceding the political landscape to Tim Eyman and conservative business interests” by ruling out new revenue measures.

“Gregoire became the spokesperson for a hopeless and conservative approach to Washington’s fiscal crisis,” said the Heartbreaker Award language.

The governor still has one more legislative session “to show leadership” and redeem herself, Jergens said.

The “Robber Baron Award” for this year went to a municipal politician, Bellevue City Councilman Kevin Wallace “for his shady and unscrupulous efforts to derail mass transit on the east side.

“Bankrolled by conservative developers in Bellevue, Wallace has been single-mindedly focused on blocking light rail through endless bureaucratic delay, costing taxpayers hundred of thousands of dollars,” said Fuse.

Fuse is planning on being actively involved in this year’s Bellevue City Council elections.